Her Boys
by Freakish Lemon
Summary: Sakura wondered when “the boys” became “her boys.” Some SasuNaru. Some Kakashi angst.


Sakura wondered when "the boys" became "her boys." 'Probably between a punch and a prank,' she thought to herself. Between a glare and a laugh and a lesson. She have have started as the odd one out, but they were now all inexplicably tangled up in each others' lives.

Sakura remembered when they first became a team. She had chased after Sasuke like a smitten puppy. She had scolded Naruto for being such a dumb little punk. And even though she had treated her teacher with as much respect as she could muster, she had regarded Kakashi as just some lazy pervert.

Sakura smiled. Her younger self would never have guessed how her life had turned out. It had been five years and a lifetime since Team 7 had first come together. Itachi, Orochimaru, the Akatsuki, and innumerable other enemies had forced them apart, shoved them back together, and made them all stronger for it. Their ties had been stretched and tested, but still held fast when it really mattered.

Now, Sakura is more interested in Sasuke's nightmares than his romantic affection. Naruto's lack of vegetable intake is more pressing than whatever prank he decided to pull. Taking her turn as the teacher and instructing Kakashi on how to properly wash his clothes is more important than trying to make him put the porn down.

It didn't even bother her that Sasuke and Naruto had finally declared their undying love for each other and started sneaking off with each other at every available moment.

When Ino found out, she had immediately visited Sakura to tell her how sorry she was. Sakura had just shaken her head and told her friend that, really, she didn't mind. After all, Sakura had trained and fought and _lived_ with them almost exclusively since the team had been formed. Even if the two of them had been able to hide their feelings from each other and everyone else, it quickly became obvious to their team mate.

The thing was, her boys needed each other. Sasuke needed Naruto because he knows what it's like to be really alone. Naruto needed Sasuke because Sasuke had been the first to really _see_ him. The traumatic childhoods and phenomenal power that had been forced upon them would not allow them to live normally. They _understood_ one another in ways that no one else could.

It was the same way that Kakashi understood them like no one else could. When either Sasuke or Naruto had a problem, they went to Kakashi first. He had already lived their lives and usually had the answers that they needed.

And Sakura could see that he needed them, too. She had seen him watch their sparring with softened eyes, remembering people and lives long past. When they had all split up to train for those few years, Sakura began looking into her teacher's background. She had read the names in the reports and had seen them on the funeral monuments. She knew that by watching Sasuke and Naruto, Kakashi could reassure himself that some people's lives turn out okay.

She had started to recognize when Kakashi forgot; when all he could remember was death and pain. A ninja's life is a hard one, and most don't live to be middle-aged. For those like her teacher, it was difficult to remember why it was necessary to fight for the village anyway. Civilians became just like another part of the village framework. Like buildings and roads are a part of the village framework. Fighting for them isn't enough to keep going. Kakashi _needed_ Sasuke and Naruto to be together. He knew too many who never had the chance.

Sakura knew she could never be that special important person to any of her boys. She came from a civilian family, raised by her caring and loving parents. She didn't have murdering brothers or psychopathic pedophiles after her. She didn't know what it was like to be hunted. She was a ninja, and a damn good one, but she had to work for it. She wasn't _born_ to be one. And the problems that her boys faced were things that she had never had to learn; things that had been given to her. Like love.

Even so, when it really came down to it, they were still her boys. She had lived alongside their struggles and triumphs. She was their ambassador that kept them grounded in everyone else's reality. Unrecognized, she was the one behind-the-scenes making sure that the three of them were prepared were prepared for their missions.

And, to be honest, she didn't really mind. Even if everyone thought they knew the village's three most powerful ninjas, she was the only one who got to be their friend.

And really, who else was going to remind them to pack that extra pair of socks?

-Fin-

A/N: I suck. XD

Yeah, I don't know where this came from and I think I kind of lost my original intent, but whatever. Tell me what you think.


End file.
